Old Friends
by Zamphira
Summary: A strange case, a level six, previous encounters, and Grissom loses it.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own none of the original characters from CSI, I just worked with them. Secondly, I don't know if there even is a level six for CSI's or if the are treated this way at all, or for that matter that there are regions in which CSI's operate. I just like this idea. This goes for this chapter and all those in the future for this story. Please review people, I like getting feedback, any feedback, good bad or ugly. Also if you have some idea that you would like to see happen in this story in the future, send it to me, I can probably work it in. Thanks and enjoy!

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_Chapter 1_

Catherine Willows is sitting at her desk just before her shift is to start sorting through her mail in preparation for the new day. Suddenly Conrad Eckley walks in and says reticently "I need the entire day shift to get over to the Bellagio, a car was just discovered in their fountain."

"Right. Are there any details that we should be notified of?"

"Yeah, get there and do a prelim but it looks like we are going to need to call in a level six for the final. There are some strange markings on the car according to the witnesses."

"Great, and our chances of getting a level six stationed here are higher the more we call them in correct?"

"Just do your job and leave the politics to me."

"I just hope you know what you are doing," _and who you will be getting stationed here._ "I'll call up the regional sixes and see who is available."

"Six, not sixes. Here's the number, there are normally two on call but one is on vacation and the other one retired. I couldn't get the regional office to give me the name so you'll need to be wary."

"Will do, sir," she says as she takes the slip of paper with the phone number on it from him. Eckley then nods and walks out of the office.

Catherine starts chuckling when she sees the number on the paper, just as Nick and Warrick walk in to get their new assignments.

"What's so funny, Cat?" asks Nick.

"Oh, nothing. We're all down at the Bellagio today, someone drove into their fountain. Just do a pre-lim on the scene for now, we have to wait for a level six to show up and we may end up having a few more people joining the team for the final."

"Oh, why so?" asked Warrick.

"Just trust me on this one," she said with a wink. "Now why don't you guys start loading the cars, I'll be along in a few minutes." Both of the guys left.

Catherine dials the number from the paper that Eckley gave her: 365-7446, which translated to DOL-PHIN.

"Hello, Monarch speaking."

"Hey, Dolphin how are you?" Some sputtering is heard on the other end as if the speaker is swimming and went under for a few minutes.

"Pussy? I thought…doesn't matter what I thought. I'm good. How are you and Linds?"

"We're both doing well, Lindsay is a teenager now and I mean that with all the vehemence I have."

"You do know you had it coming from what I heard about you as a teenager. But I thought you had a little bit longer before she hit that…wow, am I getting old now. Shit! I forgot my last birthday!" she says as she collapses into a fit of giggles in which Catherine shortly joins her. Catherine hears her get out of the water she was swimming in.

"So, what you callin' 'bout? I never knew you to call for sentimental reasons."

"Well…I need a level six out here and…"

"I'm the only one on call in the region, I know," Monarch interrupted. "So, when you need me there by?"

"Yesterday."

"Aah. Alright well I can't leave for another half hour so that will make my arrival time about 3 ish ok?"

"Yeah, and how about you skip going to headquarters and head straight to the scene at the Bellagio, I'll call in your arrival to my supervisor."

"Alrighty, is there anyone in particular you were wanting to work with on this that you haven't been able to recently because of the change up in the region? I mean I am the Dolphin here sooo…"

Cathrine laughs at that, "You have always been the Dolphin of the two of us."

"I know."

"But now that you mention it, it would be nice to work with my old team again."

"And are you going to list them for me, or am I going to track them down using the underlings here?"

"No, I'll tell you who they are. Give those poor people who have to work with you alone. If I still know you as I think I do then all of them are only running on 2 hours sleep…max and you, you are just as chipper as ever and seem to get everything done miraculously."

"No shit, Sherlock. Why waste time sleeping when I can give some people closure on their family or friends death. Sleeping is for holidays, sick days and when I am stuck with something…"

"Because you always wake up with the answer in half an hour, I know. You've been saying that since before we were friends, Dolphin. Anyway, if you could get this team together for this case I would really appreciate it. I am already working with Nick Stokes and Warrick Brown. If you could get Greg Sanders and Sara Sidle that would be great."

"I've heard about those four, I look forward to working with them. Especially Calico, I saw a picture of Mr. Sanders a while back when he was getting his level three or something, I don't remember. It's been awhile since I read those things particularly since your supervisor is the one sending them out. I just love to annoy Cons, and I have the leverage to do so. Anyway was there anyone else?"

"There is one more I would like to work with but I know you aren't going to like it."

"Gruesome. Why the hell do you guys like working together so much, I mean I know he's fantastic but…" she trailed off. "You got it, I'm gonna pull the rug from right beneath Cons feet."

"Be nice," Catherine warned.

"I'm always nice. I'll see you later today, and don't tell him I want it to be a surprise."

"Alright, but come and see me first."

"You got it. Talk to you later."

Catherine hung up the phone. "Hey Cat, you coming for the prelim?" asked Nick as he popped his head in on his way to the SUV's.

"Yeah, and we got our level six."


	2. Chapter 2

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_Disclaimer: Same as before, enjoy!

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_Chapter 2_

"So, Catherine, what was that whole gigglefest about?"

"Gigglefest? I didn't think you knew how."

"Be nice. And it was not a gigglefest, it was a couple of old friends laughing together. Now one thing, none of us should go in the water in case the material used to mark the car was water soluble."

"But then how are we going to get any of our evidence? If we can't go in the water, we can't collect from the crime scene," said Nick.

"Actually we can, we just have to wait until about 3 this afternoon. The level six that I called is a water excavation specialist. We need to leave that to her until she gives the ok for us to go in."

"Wait a minute. Is this the level six from the newspaper? The one that the district calls Dolphin?" asked Warrick.

"Yes she is. Now please we need to cordon off this area and get those fountains turned off before anymore of the evidence is lost. She gets really pissed when she has to test the fountain flow in order to find her evidence." Catherine waited for them to head off, "Come on guys, move it!"

About four and a half hours later, the three were gathering again when two more SUV's drove up and showed Sara, Greg, and Grissom arriving. They walked towards Catherine and the others.

Grissom reaches them first and asks "So, do you have any idea why we were called in?"

"Actually yes, I do," said Catherine. "We needed a level six and they thought that in order to prevent squashed toes with me and my team they would call in a favor so that we could work with whoever we wanted on this case."

"Ahh, and who is this level six with so much gumption to pull the rank card on Eckley?"

"Wasn't given their name, just their number. They should be arriving soon though. So why don't you guys get suited up for once they get here." All of the guys turn to go except Grissom.

"You sure you don't know who this level six is?"

"Their voice sounded familiar but we have been calling in so many of them recently that that was bound to be the case."

"Alright," he said and then turned around to join the others in getting suited up.

"Sara, I need you to give Grissom plenty of space during this case," said Catherine.

"Why? Isn't it just like other cases that we have seen?"

"Yes…and no. You'll see when the level six gets here, and please just trust me on this." With saying that Catherine walks away towards the parking lot as a white 1959 Fiat Spider drives in through the entrance and parks next to the CSI's SUV's.

A tall slender woman climbs out of the drivers side door and walks towards the front of the vehicle. She lifts the hood and pulls out a metal box much like those the other CSI's are carrying around, except quite a bit bigger. As she walks towards the scene, Catherine sees that she is wearing black heeled shoes, black dress slacks, and a button up cerulean shirt. She is rather feminine looking, but in a no nonsense sort of way. Her hair is in a just above shoulder length bob, honey blonde with much lighter highlights, probably from the sun. She has on no rim glasses that are slightly tinted as if they had been treated to be color changing in the sun. As she gets within a few yards of Catherine she grins from ear to ear and begins walking faster. Catherine steps to the side so that the others won't see the greeting.

The blonde drops her case to the ground and hugs Catherine while picking her up and twirling her around and as she is putting her back on her feet she gives her a kiss on the cheek. Catherine blushes, "I asked you not to do that a long time ago."

"I know, Pussy. But you look so cute when you blush, and it reminds me of past times together."

Catherine clears her throat and says, "We were drunk and in college, and that isn't going to happen ever again, no offense to you or anything, I just prefer men."

"Me too, oddly enough," the blonde added with a cheeky grin. "Now why don't we go see the rest of the team, they should all be changed into their suits by now. And I want to see if torquing Eckley was worth it." They both began walking out from behind the SUV.

"Just go easy on him, Monarch. You know how he is," Catherine said as they were walking.

"Yes, I do and I know that I am no longer willing to wait for him to pull his head out of his ass enough to see what is standing right in front of him."

As they were approaching Grissom had his back facing the direction they were coming from, but Warrick, Nick and Greg were drop-jawed at the two women walking towards them. They had known that Catherine was a dancer but the two women were walking in perfect harmony, same beat and everything. It was almost as if it were a dream, two gorgeous dancers walking towards them…

When they reached the group of guys, the blonde stopped directly behind Grissom while Catherine walked around to Greg, Nick and Warrick. Suddenly, the blonde walked up until she was holding Grissom tight, his back to her front. She leaned up and whispered something into his ear that none of the others heard.

However, after his ear surgery was so successful, Grissom heard every word. She said, "Hello Fish, I've come to collect what you said would be mine." Upon hearing this Grissom's entire face and neck went a blazing red.

The others saw Grissom change colors from normal to red and they understood what sort of comment it was.

As quick as she had hugged him, she released him and walked around until she was standing next to him. "You guys must be Nick and Warrick. Pussy has told me so much about you. And I read about you, sir. You went from DNA to being a level three CSI, congratulations Greg."

"And you are?" asked Nick.

"She's Corella Monarch, level six CSI," said Grissom flatly.

"Thank you, Fish, I can introduce myself you know," she snapped.

"Just do your job, no one needs to know who you are any more than you need to know who they are." After Grissom finished saying this, Corella pulled her arm up as if she were stretching and then in a blur she slugged him right in the eye.

"I told you once to not try and control my life, Gil," she said before she stalked towards the fountain carrying her case. When she got there, she set down her case and began walking around the fountain looking at the crime scene. Once she had circled the fountain back to her case she picked it up and walked around to the opposite side of the fountain to where the car was located. She set down her case and just stood there for some time.

Meanwhile, back with the group. "What the hell, Grissom?" exclaimed Nick. "She was just trying to introduce herself before we had to work with her."

"No, she wasn't." Warrick tried to interrupt. "No. Just do whatever she asks you to do, and let's get her out of town as quick as we can."

"You're still afraid aren't you?" asked Catherine.

"Yes, I am. I'm never in control when she's around. So, can we please get her to leave?" Grissom says as he turns around towards the fountain and sees Monarch standing on the opposite side of the fountain unbuttoning her shirt. All of the guys just stand there slack-jawed. Sara and Catherine begin walking over to Monarch to enquire as to what she is doing.

"Hey, Dolphin!" shouts Catherine. "What you stripping for?"

Monarch turns towards Catherine's voice, looks at them for a bit and then smiles before turning back to her case in which she was digging for something.

As Sara and Catherine approach, they see big beach towel and goggles sitting on the edge of the fountain. They also see that Monarch has on the top to a lavender bikini with deep red roses in a pattern on it. Suddenly Monarch stands up clutching a very large strange camera with what looks like a waistband attached to it. She sets it down on the edge of the fountain and begins unzipping her pants. Sara looks over at the guys and can see that their shirts are wet at the necks from drool. She just shakes her head.

"I need to get in some pictures from the sides and the bottom, if I can," Monarch says. "Once I'm in I'm going to need you to hand me that camera," she says while pointing to it. "And please watch out it's rather heavy and I had to pay for it, the region was trying to be cheap again this year. They should have just cut Conrad Eckley's salary, I mean he isn't doing anything to earn it," she said a little bit louder than normal. Sara turns around to see Eckley walking towards them, he stops when he heard the last comment and spins on his heel and literally runs back towards his car.

"You know, you should be a little nicer to him. He would be your boss if you were stationed here."

"I am already going to be stationed here and the board has done a review of Saint Eckley's performance in the last few months and found it to be severely wanting. So, they have decided to station me here as this district seems to so desperately need a level six that they keep calling us in." By this point the other CSI's have walked around the fountain to join in.

"As well as getting rid of Conrad Eckley's position here, the responsibilities that he has will be transferred to me and I will become head of the lab for the day, night and all future shifts. The director thought that I would be the perfect candidate since I don't ever sleep anymore. I mean all of the doctors have finally given up on me in six different states. That's why I only sleep on holidays and weekends because I have to take such strong sleeping pills that I have to have a fucking day to recover! Now if you ALL don't mind I have a scene to clear and my evidence is washing away with each second I am trying to explain it to you all. Eel, please hand me the camera once I come back up for air. Not before, and be careful it's the one thing of mine that I have never broken." Upon saying this Monarch eases herself into the water and under it. A few seconds later she resurfaces and Sara hands her the camera.

Catherine is standing there flabbergasted, "What did you do to her, Grissom? I have never in my life seen her lose it like that. Or you for that matter! Whatever it is you two need to sort it out."

"Catherine, you don't know all of the details. Just keep from playing in our lives, this works for us…"

"Grissom, this isn't working! She doesn't sleep anymore and you are like a ghost. She still loves you…"

"No one loves me, no one knows me."

"You just have to give us the chance to get to know you and you might find that some of us do love you. For my part if you would stop being such an ass most of the time, I think of you as a brother or as a friend. For the others I can't say but dear god, give her a fighting chance…"

"I asked you to not speak with him about that, Catherine," said the fountain. Monarch emerges from beneath the ledge of the fountain dripping in her lavender bikini. She sets the camera down on the edge of the fountain, grabs her towel, steps out of the fountain, and picking up her case and camera walks off in the direction of her car. When she gets there she puts on a spare set of clothes from her case once she realizes that she left her clothes over with the others. She removes the tape from her camera and sticks it in a case, which she places with the camera in her case. She then shouts, " The car can be removed from the fountain now if you all don't mind doing that. I'll get back to the lab and analyze the tape of the symbols. I should have a preliminary idea of what they are in half an hour. I'll call you then and if it's not too much trouble could you bring my clothes when y'all come back to the lab?" She then drives down the Strip in the direction of the Las Vegas Crime Lab.


End file.
